Full Breakdown
International Christian Leaders Convene in Jerusalem to Counter Rising Antisemitism
6/12/2026, 1:53:56 AM
Overview
From 9-11 June 2026, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) convened a three-day summit in Jerusalem to address the surge in antisemitic incidents after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack. Over 200 theologians, pastors and ministry leaders attended in person, with roughly 3,000 online participants. Key speakers included ICEJ President Dr. Jürgen Bühler, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Special Envoy George Deek, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, Regent University’s Israel Institute founder Dr. Andrew J. Nolte, and SAFI spokesperson Bafana Modise. A historic South African delegation representing senior leaders of the Full Gospel Church of God also took part.
Data
Israel’s Christian population was 184,200 (1.9 % of the total) in December 2025, up 0.7 % year-on-year. Arab Christians comprise 78.7 % of Israeli Christians; non-Arab Christians are concentrated in Tel Aviv and central districts. A survey found only about 5 % of Generation Z strongly adhere to biblical teachings. Sources differ on the number of represented nations: ICEJ cites “over 30 countries,” while SAFI reports delegates from 54 countries.
Significance & Official Responses
Organisers contend that antisemitism endangers both Jewish communities and Christian theological foundations that view Judaism as integral to biblical history. President Herzog described antisemitism as “the oldest plague in humanity” and urged a three-pronged response of law enforcement, adjudication and education. ICEJ President Bühler emphasized the biblical connection to Israel and rejected replacement theology. Modise framed antisemitism as a societal, moral and theological problem requiring Christian engagement. Israeli officials, including Foreign Minister Sa’ar and Ambassador Huckabee, were slated to speak at the closing session.
On-the-Ground & Conflicting Reports
South African delegates reported the summit as a platform for solidarity with Jewish communities and for acquiring practical teaching resources. The reported number of participating nations varies between “over 30” and 54, and precise in-person versus online attendance figures are not independently verified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Attacking the Jews means attacking the very roots of one’s own faith. It means fighting against the people who gave us the Bible. Jesus was Jewish,” — Dr. Jürgen Bühler, ICEJ President
- “I believe that countering antisemitism requires a combination of three major elements: law enforcement, adjudication and education,” — President Isaac Herzog, Israel
- “Antisemitism is not merely a Jewish problem. It is a societal problem, a moral problem and, for Christians, a theological problem. When hatred of Jewish people resurfaces, history teaches us that it rarely ends there,” — Bafana Modise, SAFI National Spokesperson
- “The answer from a Christian theological perspective is that we all killed Jesus, he died for our sins.” — Dr. Andrew J. Nolte, Regent University
What’s Next
The summit’s closing ceremony on Thursday will feature remarks by Foreign Minister Sa’ar and Ambassador Huckabee. Participants are expected to return to their congregations equipped with curricula, sermon outlines and advocacy kits to address antisemitism locally and internationally.
